Controversial radio and internet personality Alex Jones was ordered Friday to hand over emails and other documents tied to his claim that no one died in the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
The decision by Connecticut State Superior Court Judge Barbara Bellis as part of a defamation case against him filed by the families of seven of the 26 children and adult staffers killed in the massacre.
The judge said Jones must hand over “letters, memos, emails, text messages, instant messenger logs or other electronic communications,” transmitted on the tragic shooting. He must also turn over “all business and marketing plans, marketing data, web analytics, sales analytics and/or web traffic” on his web site Infowars.
The families sued Jones and InfoWars for defamation last year, accusing them of perpetuating a “monstrous, unspeakable lie: that the Sandy Hook shooting was staged and that the families who lost loved ones that day are actors who faked their relatives’ deaths.”
“From the beginning, we have alleged that Alex Jones and his financial network trafficked in lies and hate in order to profit from the grief of Sandy Hook families,” said the families’ lawyer Chris Mattei. “That is what we intend to prove, and today’s ruling advances our effort.”
Jones’ lawyer, Jay Wolman, didn’t immediately return a request for comment. Wolman has sought to dismiss the suit, saying Jones and InfoWars “are not responsible for this tragedy” and that his statements are protected speech under the Constitution.
The families are also seeking to depose Jones. The judge is expected to hear arguments on that next week.